System of electrical distribution



June Z4, 1930. c. T. sli-:Bs

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION original Filed Nov. 2e, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24,1930. c. T. slEBs V 1,765Ai SYSTEM OF ELECTRICALDISTRIBUTION I Original Filed Nov. 26. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented.lune 24, 123@ ir ,f t' rss CLAUDE THEODOBE SIEBS, 0F CRANFORD, JERSEY,`.A:S[Gr1\TO1'. ,TO WESTERN ELECTRC COMPANY, INCORPORLEB, 0F NEW YORK,N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK SYSTEM or ntnornronr. DISTRIBUTIONOriginal application led November 26, 192'?, SerialY No. 235,829.'Divided andlt'his application filed February 23, 1929.

This invention relates to a system of electrical distribution, and moreparticularly to a system for distributing electrical conductors withinconcrete iioor slabs and the like, and is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 235,829, led November 26,1927, for Systems andymethods of electrical distribution.

In the construction of concrete floors and the like, it has heretoforebeen the practice in some cases to mold a system of passageways in theconcrete of the floor `for the purpose of subsequently receivingelectrical conductors for connecting motors, telephones, or otherelectrical devices to a source of current. In instances where aplurality of motor-driven machines, for eX- ample, are to be mounted inspaced relation upon a floor, it is often diiicult to determine, priorto the laying of the floor, the position each machine will occupy, andit is frequently necessary to subsequently moveV such machines from onelocation to another, so that a system which was designed for theoriginal layout may not ybe at all satisfactory for the machines intheir changed,

positions. lt is therefore desirable to provide a svstem of passagewaysin the floor slabs of such a nature that outlets may be readily formedat any point thereof, and so disposed that electrical apparatus locatedat any point on the floor may be served by the use of a minimum amountof wiring.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple andeconomical system of distribution for electrical conductors.

In accordance with the general features of the invention a system offloor construction which represents one embodiment of the invention maybe employed which includes a plurality of parallel passageways moldedwithin the concrete floor slab and angularly disposed with respect toterminal trenches along the margin of the floor. A portion of the slabis removed when a machine upon the ioor is to be wired, after which anoutlet passageway is formed in the concrete. The angular arrangement ofthe passageways permits a machine or other apparatus located on thefloor to be con- Serial No. 341,967.

nected tothe passageway by the use of a minimum amount of wiring.

The abovel and other objects will be apparent from the followingdetailed descripy Fig. 3 is aV vertical sectional yview takeny on theline 3 3 of Fig.' 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational Viewv shown partly in section of aresilient form for molding an outlet;

Fig. 5 is an inflatable form for molding a floor outlet;

Fig. 6 discloses the first step in the method of removing a. portion ofthe floor slab preparatory to the molding of a floor outlet;

Fig. discloses a collapsible form and an outlet anchor member associatedwith the iioor slab after the initial step of breaking through the slabas shown in Fig. 6 has been completed;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the positioned collapsible form and anchormember shown in Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 discloses a covering platein position to seal the floor outletaftery the removal of the outlet casting.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals have been employedto designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will beobserved that Fig. 1 discloses a room provided with a idoorr whichconstitutes an upper layer of wooden floor blocks 20 resting upon aconcrete slab 21.

Along the margins of the floor are terminal trenches 22 and extendingthrough the concrete slab 2l at an angle of substantially 45 withrespect to the trenches is a plurality of unlined passageways 24 whichare arranged in parallelism and terminate in the trenches.Thesepassageways 24 may be formed within the concrete slab 21 in anyconvenient manner such, for example, as byV numeral 25 and indicateddiagrammatically Y by rectangles in Fig. 1 are positioned in spacedrelation upon the floor and the particular arrangement of these machinesis shown merely for the purpose of more clearly illustrating thepractical application of the invention. A plurality of floor outletassemblies indicated generally by the numeralr 26 are positioned inproximity to the machines 25 and serve to present a convenient conductoroutlet for the passageways 24.

These outlet assemblies 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) comprise an outlet casting orconductor guiding and guarding means 28 having a central opening 29 anda sealing gasket 3l interposed between the conductor guide and Vananchor plate 30 to which the guide may be conveniently securedr by meansof screws 32.. The anchor plate 30 is provided with flanges 33 whichserve when the placeV is embedded within the concrete slab 2l to firmlyretain the assembly in a xed position. y

In order to associate one of the outlet assemblies 26 with one ofV thepreviously molded passageways 24 for the purpose of connecting anadjacent machine with electrical conductors, it is first necessary toremove a few ofthe floor blocks 20 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. A portionof the concrete slab 2l is then removed to present an opening which issur'licient in width to permit the insertion of a collapsible form 34(Fig. 7 This collapsible form comprises a central section 36 andsections 37 disposed on opposite sides thereof. The lower portions ofthe sections 37 are cylindrical in shape to conform with the cylindricalcross-secti'on of the passageways 24 and a threaded bolt 38 is adaptedto be threaded through apertures provided in the sections 36 and 37 whensaid sections are lproperly positioned within the passageway. Inintroducing the collapsible form within the passageway 24 the sections37 are first lowered into position and then the central section 36 isinterposed between these sections. A filler member 40 conforming inmarginal contour with the upper portion of the anchoring plate 30 and apair of positioning strips 41,(Figs. 7 and 8) are clamped to theancharing plate by means of screws 42. Th ese assembled parts are thenlowered into position over the form 34 until the strips 4l rest upon theupper surface of the con-l crete slab 2l. lt will be apparent that'thestrips 4l together with the spacing or filler member 40 serve toposition the anchoring member a predetermined distance below the uppersurface of the slab 2l and after the anchoring member has been thuspositioned, the clamping bolt 38l may be threaded 'through registeringapertures in the sections 36 and 37 of the form 34 to firmly secure saidsections in fixed position. Concrete er cement is then poured around theanchoring plate and filler member so as to completely lill spaces 44 andafter the setting of theconcrete, the form 34 maybe removedby firstwithdrawing the bolt 38 and then lifting the central section 36 by meansof a handle 45 at the upper end thereof. Having removed the member 36the sections 37 may alsobe very conveniently withdrawn. rlhe fillermember 40 and the strips 4l are then removed by unthreading the bolts 42and it will be apparent that the liller member may Ybe replaced by thegasket 31 and a flanged portion 46 of the outlet conductor guide 28.

lrior to the association of the loutlet guide 28 with the anchoringplate 33, cables or conductors 48 from within the passageways 24 may bepassed upwardly through 29 within the guide 28. The screws 32 willreplace the screws 42 and serve to clamp the outlet guide 28.to theanchoring plate 30 with the upper portion of the flange 42 coplanar withtheupper surface of theslab 2l. An extension pipe 49 is threaded withinthe upper end of the Outlet guide and this pipe may be .of any desiredlength, depending upon the distance through which the cable 48.1nust bevertically extended.

-The floor blocks 20 ypreviously removed for the purpose of molding theoutlet are now replaced and the space surrounding the parts of theoutlet casting 28 may be filled with pitch 50 or other suitable packingmaterial. From the foregoing it will be clear that theftypeV of outletjust described may be conveniently formed. without removing a largeportion of the iioormaterials and the outlet thus .formed precludes thepossibility of any leakage of moisture from the floor surface into thepassageway 24 above which the outlet is constructed.

Various types of collapsible molding forms might be employed inpracticing the molding operatiomysuch, Yfor example, as the form 52disclosed in Fig. 4. This form 52 is constructed of spongy rubber orother resilient material and may be inserted within an opening formed inthe slab 2l and renie-vedtherefrom without the necessity of dismantling.The removal and insertion of the form 52 is faciliated by reason of thefact trat spongy rubber will permit of a temporary the molded outlet andthrough the opening L the inherent resiliency of thel lio distortionthereof in order to introduce and extract the enlarged lower portion ofthe form. Likewise, as disclosed in Fig. 5, an inflatable resilientmolding form 53 might be used to serve in the same capacity and in thisinstance the form may be easily removed after deflation. All of themolding forms disclosed are of a collapsible nature and therefore arereadily adaptable for use in connection with the described moldingoperations.

In the event that it is found necessary to discontinue the use of one ofthe outlet assemblies 26, a few of the floor blocks 2O surrounding theoutlet guide 28 thereof may be removed and the guide disassembled fromits companion anchoring member 80 by unthreading the screws 32. A coverplate 55 (Fig. 9) may then be placed in the space formerly occupied bythe flange 46 of the outlet guide 28 and the screws 32 again employed toclamp said plate in covering relation with res ect to the molded outlet.The upper surface of the covering plate 55 is liush with the surface ofthe concrete slab 2l and the floor blocks 20 may be replaced. By havingsuch an arrangement the outlet assemblies 26 may be removed without anyresulting permanent mutilation of the floor surface and in the eventthat an outlet assembly should at a future time again be required atthis point, the covering plate 55 may be removed and the apertured covermember or guide 28 repositioned in the convenient manner alreadydescribed.

From the foregoing it is to be understood that the diagonal arrangementof the parallel passageways 24 is a very important factor in solving theproblem of supplying outlet openings for conveniently serving machines,desk and other equipment with electrical conductors regardless of theposition of the particular equipment to be served or the particulararrangement of groups of equipment. This fact will be more readilyappreciated by referring to the diagrammatic representations disclosedin Fig. l wherein a few examples of outlet arrangements are shown. Thus,for example, in the first group of eight machines, beginning at the leftof Fig. l, it will be observed that a single outlet assembly 26 ispositioned between each pair of machines, while in the second group fromthe left of Fig. l, each machine is provided with an'individual outletassembly. In the next group, it will be observed that the outletassemblies are positioned directly beneath each machine and the utilityof such an arrangement might be more readily understood in connectionwith supplying outlets for a group of oflice desks. l

desk and by having the diagonal arrangement ofthe passageways 24, thisproblem is conveniently solved. Referring to the fourth or last group ofarranged machines to the right of Fig. l, it will be observed that theoutlet assemblies 26 are positioned at each extremity of the group. Fromthe foregoing it will be readily understood that numerous conditions anddiiiculties incident to the positioning of apparatus upon a floor areawhich relate to the provision of suitable outlet openings may beovercome. rIhe cables 48 which are inserted within the vpassageways 24may be conveniently connected with switch boxes 57 located at spacedintervals within the marginal trenches 22 and by having the trenchespositioned along the margins of the floor, the conductors or cables 48may be introduced within the passageways 24 from either side of the roomdepending upon the location `of the apparatus which is to be served. The

crete slab 2l and the necessity of introducing a particular type offitting which would necessarily be employed if a duct or conduit had tobe broken into after the upper portion of the slab had been removed andprepared or threaded to receive a fitting. In otherwords, this inventionenables the expeditious molding of an outlet for an unlined passagewayas distinguished from the introduction of a fitting to be directlyconnected with or threaded upon an embedded tube or duct. By having theangular or diagonal arrangement of the unlined passageways and the typeof outlet assembly hereinbefore described, the invention presents a mosteconomical and universal system and method of distribution in floorconstruction and enhances the practical utility of unlined passagewaysfor electrical conductors. Likewise the invention may be employed togreatly facilitate the practical application of lined passageways as forexample in connection with the proper arrangement of embedded conduits.

Although the invention has been described in connection with aparticular type of floor construction as well as special arrangements ofapparatus upon a floor area, it is to be understood that the inventionis capable of numerous other applications and should be limited only bythe scope of the appended claims. I

VThat is claimed is:

l. In a distribution system, a building slab construction having atrench, and a plurality of distributive passageways molded in the slab,extending diagonally With respect to the trench and terminatingtherein.

2. In a distribution system, a building slab construction having atrench, and a plurality of spaced, parallel distributive passage- Waysextending diagonally with respect to the trench and terminating therein.

3.V In a system of electrical distribution, a concrete building slabhaving spaced trenches and a plurality of parallel passagevvaysinterconnecting the trenches and extending diagonnally with respectrthereto.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day ofFebruary, 1929.

CLAUDE THEODORE SIEBS.

